Spring-vehicle



(No Model.)

E. CLIP?.

SPRING VEHICLE. N0. 387,052. Patented July 31, 1888.`

Y) l WITNESSES. f f INVENTUR Og/@MMM M am@ F 7 177 4 BY %/%mm b ZS'MWVZM ATTORNEYS Warren Starts EDVARD OLIFF, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

SPRINGmVEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,052, dated July 3l,

Application filed April 18, 1888.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD CLIFF, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe,in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inSpring-Vehicles, of which the following, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of springvehicles in which the bodyis supported by a torsion-spring secured to the under side of the bodyand coupled to crosssprings mounted on the running-gear of the vehicle;and the invention consists in a novel construction of the componentparts of the spring individually considered, and in a novel combinationof said parts, as hereinafter fully described, and specically set forthin the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure l is an in verted plan view of avehicle-spring embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is an end elevation ofthe same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line .t x, Fig.l. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section on line y y, Fig. 1. Figs. 5and 6 are enlarged detail views of the V-shaped bearing of thetorsionspring. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the coupling ofthebody-supporting arms to the crossspring, and Fig. S illustrates amodification of the form of the torsion-spring.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the body of the vehicle, D D the cross-springs mounted,respectively,on the hind axle and head-block ot the running-gear.

C denotes the torsion-spring secured to the under side of the body, andff are the coupling-arms connecting the torsion-spring with thecrossspring. rFhis torsion spring is preterabl y composed of a centralbar, a, U-shaped loops b I) at the ends of the bar c, and extending atright angles therefrom and in one and the same direction, and the arms cc extending from said loops and parallel with each other, all formed ofa continuous bar of springsteel. Said torsion-spring is disposed withits armscc lengthwise of the body, in the usual manner, and is rigidlysecured te the under cl, interposed be- A, and provided Afitted closelyto the exterior side of the body by a shoe, tween the loop Z1 and bodywith a flange, d',

Serial No. 271,035. (No model.)

of the loop, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 ofthe drawings. A clip, c, isplaced astride the loop b and rigidly secured to the shoe d by astudpin, e', projecting from the clip and passing through the shoe andriveted on the latter, and thus the loop is firmly heid in the shoe d.By means of bolts r r passing through the clip and shoe and through theframe A of the body A, the loop l) becomes firmly attached to the body.I do not, however, limit myself to the aforesaid construction of thetorsion spring C of one continuous bar, inasmuch as I can obtain thesame or nearly the same effect by forming said spring in ti 'o pieces,each formed with the loop I), from which is extended one of the arms c,as before described, the loop in this case being prolonged andterminating near one side ofthe arm c, where it is rigidly secured tothebody ofthe vehicle, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The free end ofthe arm c ot' the torsion-spring I provide with a V-shaped edge orbearing, p, and between this bearing and body A, I interpose abearingblock, t, which is rigidly secured to the frame A of the body,and is formed with a recessed bearing, t, preferably V-shaped, and of agreater angle than the V-shaped edge of the arm c. Although the saidedge may be formed on a round bar, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings,yet to obtain this bearing in a simpler manner I form the torsion-springC of a square bar and secure the same in its requisite position to bringone of the edges thereof to bear in the seat t by bending the loop b ina plane relatively diagonal to the shape of the bar, as shown in theannexed drawings. The arm c of the torsion-spring rocking on the Vshapededge p completely obviates friction and liability of squeaking, and,inasmuch as said bearing is eccentric, the rocking ofthe arm c whensubjected to strain causes the couplingarm f, which is rigidly attachedthereto, to move longitudinally outward, and thus conformto theelongation of the cross spring D when subjected to a load. Thisharmonious movement of the coupling-arm f with the spring D allows me toattach said arm direct to the said spring. This attachment I prefer tomake by forming the outer end of the arm f with ayoke, h, which projectsfrom one side thereof and is formed with eyes i i, between IOO which isinserted the shackle-eye n, formed on the end of the spring, asillustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings. A bolt, Z, passing through theeyes t t' and n, couples the arm to the spring. The bolt is providedwith a nut, t, by the tightening of which the two eyes t' t' can bepressed closely against the end of the intervening shackle eye n, so asto take up the wear and prevent rattling. In order to guard againstexcessive pressureQbetween the aforesaid eyes, I form the bolt Zwith ashoulder, o, by which it abuis against the inner face of one of the eyesi. The central portion of the bolt I provide with a circumferentialgroove, Z', which serves to retain lubricant introduced in theshackle-eye n.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s

l. In combination with the body and its supporting-spring, a rocking barsecured to the body and provided with a V-shaped bearing on the same,and a coupling-arm connecting said rocking bar with the aforesaidspring, as set forth.

2. In combination with the body, the torsion-spring C, formed of asquarebar bent into a U shaped loop, b, in a plane diagonal relative to theshape ofthe bar, the metal shoe d, interposed between said loop and bodyand secured to the latter, and the clip e, astride said loop and securedto the shoe, substantially as described and shown.

8. In combination with the loop b of the spring C, the shoe d, providedwith the Bange d', and the clip e, provided with the stud-pin e',projecting from the clip and passing through the shoe and rivetedthereon, substantially as described and shown.

4. In combination with the body A, coupling-arm f, and the spring D,formed with the shackle-eye n, the coupling-bolt Z, passing through saideye and through the end of the coupling-arm and formed with thecircumferential groove Z', substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

5. In combination with the body A, the coupling-armf, formed with theyoke h and eyes t' i, the spring D, formed with the shackle-eye ninserted between the eyes i i, the couplingbolt Z, formed with theshoulder o, and the nut Z on the end of said bolt, substantially asdescribed and shown.

6. In combination With the body A and spring D, the torsion-spring C,provided with the V-shaped bearingp, and the arm f, rigidly attached tosaid torsion-spring and coupled to the spring D, substantially asdescribed and Shown.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo witnesses, at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, in the State ofNew York, this 12th day of April, 1888.

EDWARD CLIFF. [Ls] Witnesses:

DE L. CRITTENDEN, W. D. ARMATAGE.

